Library patrons hear of magic dogs helping people

WEST WHITELAND — Chester County Public Library patrons on Saturday heard two stories about how dogs have helped people under very difficult circumstances.

First, Westtown resident Richard Pomerantz told the story of Princess, an Anatolian shepherd and the subject of his book, “A Love Letter from Princess: Lucky, Mommy and Me.” Told from the dog’s perspective, the book details how Princess came into their lives and how she helped Pomerantz’s wife, Bobbie, overcome cancer.

“We knew that this was not an ordinary canine but someone very special, a gift of nature that showed up in our lives by accident, or maybe it was destiny,” said Pomerantz, who called Princess a “magic dog.”

Adopted and returned to the Chester County SPCA twice, Bobbie met Princess and took her home. They quickly found out Princess needed both hips replaced. During her six-month recovery, Princess became mentally linked to them, and when Bobbie was diagnosed with likely-terminal cancer, Pomerantz had a conversation with the canine.

“I said, ‘Princess, when you were sick, your mommy took care of you and never left your side, and now mommy is very, very sick. I need you to take care of her, to stay with her at all times and never leave her side,” Pomerantz said.

Princess listened, and glued to Bobbie, helped her through years of chemotherapy and six major surgeries. During her life, Pomerantz said, Princess also saved the family by alerting them to a house fire; warned them of an explosion close to their home; and became a companion and guide to the family’s other beloved dog, Lucky, as he became deaf and blind.

“She was a gift to our family, and now through this book, she’s the gift that keeps on giving,” said Pomerantz, who is donating proceeds from the book to America’s VetDogs, a nonprofit group represented at Saturday’s discussion by former Green Beret Kent Phyfe.

Phyfe appeared with his dog, Iris, who pulled him from the depths of ultimate despair last year.

Suffering from a brain-and-heart condition that causes him to pass out, Phyfe saw his Special Forces-level physical abilities taken from him, to the point where he couldn’t walk outside or drive by himself. Combined with his admitted difficulty adjusting to civilian life after the military, Phyfe was ready for the end.

“I sat in my prison at home, and I had my .45 loaded and against my head many, many times,” Phyfe said. “I had given up.”

That changed when Iris, a specially trained rescue service dog, became a part of Phyfe’s life. Thanks to America’s VetDogs, Iris was given to him free of charge, quite a deal considering the $50,000 it takes to train such canines.

Phyfe has 10 to 15 episodes a month, and Iris is there to help him. She does everything from pushing an emergency button to call 911, to riding co-pilot in his truck, to waking him up during nightmares. Phyfe said her impact stretches far beyond their relationship.

“She has changed everybody around me,” Phyfe said.

With Iris’ effect on him, Phyfe now strives to increase therapy and service dog use for soldiers returning from overseas combat, who suffer from adverse physical or mental conditions.

“She gave me my life back,” said Phyfe, a New York resident. “I drove here six hours today to try to spread the word that this makes a huge difference. The VA still doesn’t believe it, so I’m going to let people know.”